Sport

City manager Heeley still looking to boost his squad

CARL Heeley still hopes to bolster his City strike-force before the Vanarama Conference North season kicks off next Saturday.

Worcester get their league campaign under way with a visit to Aggborough from Stalybridge Celtic and manager Heeley admits he is eager to bring in another goal-scorer.

However, despite having a few ‘irons in the fire’, no deal is imminent and he will name a familiar line-up for this afternoon’s final pre-season friendly, which is at Barwell (3pm).

Heeley said: “Players often become available in the last week of pre-season – we have a few irons in the fire, but nothing definite.

“We have options, but if nothing happens, we are still comfortable with where we are.

“We will probably go with what we have had for the last couple of pre-season games and we will look to finalise our plans for the season at the end of today’s game at Barwell.

“It is all about progressing as a side and we are much further ahead now, compared to where we were at a similar stage last season.”

Heeley sees the main plus points of his preparations for the forthcoming campaign as being able to keep together the same resolute defence he had last term, plus the re-signing of targetman Mike Symons.

The City boss added: “We have more stability now and have kept a lot of last season’s squad together, which is a bonus.

“The thing we did really well last year – and which helped us to move away from the relegation zone – was that we were difficult to beat and we didn’t concede many goals.

“Retaining that defence and the goalkeeper was a big thing, while it was really important to add another keeper in Nathan Vaughan because we used so many different ones last year.

“Goal-scoring was a problem, but bringing big Mike Symons back was key because he is a target man who knows this league and holds the ball up well, which was something we missed last year.”